Newbie reloading question

[dennishoddy]

Alliant reloader 17 is a really good powder using the 100 grain bullets in .243.
It's not temperature sensitive and meters well.
IMR 4350 is an old standard that works in larger calibers too with heavier bullets.
There are several different powders out there that can do the job, but I recently switched the .243WSSM, 30-06 and .270 to the Reloader 17.
It is billed by the manufacturer to give 100 additional FPS with no increase in chamber pressure. Which drives me to add a little more to increase speed.
Take this advice to heart. If you don't have a Chronograph, DO NOT exceed factory recommended loads. When you do buy a chrono and get your bullet speeds and can watch the variances between powders/temperatures, Then you can creep up in speeds and recognize the first signs of overpressure that will be the primer going flat.
Reloading has a huge learning curve. Some do it wrong and jump into it.
Your doing it right by asking really good questions.

 

[Pokinfun]

Alliant reloader 17 is a really good powder using the 100 grain bullets in .243.
It's not temperature sensitive and meters well.
IMR 4350 is an old standard that works in larger calibers too with heavier bullets.
There are several different powders out there that can do the job, but I recently switched the .243WSSM, 30-06 and .270 to the Reloader 17.
It is billed by the manufacturer to give 100 additional FPS with no increase in chamber pressure. Which drives me to add a little more to increase speed.
Take this advice to heart. If you don't have a Chronograph, DO NOT exceed factory recommended loads. When you do buy a chrono and get your bullet speeds and can watch the variances between powders/temperatures, Then you can creep up in speeds and recognize the first signs of overpressure that will be the primer going flat.
Reloading has a huge learning curve. Some do it wrong and jump into it.
Your doing it right by asking really good questions.

I like H4350SC for 243 win, with a bullet over 80gr. H4350SC is temperature insensitive so it makes reloading easy for me. I am going to do a little reading on Reloader 17 to see if it will work with youth loads.
I agree about using a chronograph to check loads. I mostly use a chronograph to check the speed for my ballistic program, which makes getting my scope dope easier.
I check every case after it shoot it for over pressure and primer condition, when I am at the range. I actually do it while I am waiting on the barrel to cool down between shots.
If I changed powders, I would start with the minimum load and work my way up.

 

[dennishoddy]

I like H4350SC for 243 win, with a bullet over 80gr. H4350SC is temperature insensitive so it makes reloading easy for me. Also, I like it because I can make a light load for my grandson's 243. I am going to do a little reading on Reloader 17 to see if it will work with youth loads.
I agree about using a chronograph to check loads. I mostly use a chronograph to check the speed for my ballistic program, which makes getting my scope dope easier.
I check every case after it shoot it for over pressure and primer condition, when I am at the range. I actually do it while I am waiting on the barrel to cool down between shots.
If I changed powders, I would start with the minimum load and work my way up.

We agree.
I was at the range today shooting the 30-06 prior to an elk hunt in the mountains.
Some guys were there ahead of me and were amazed that I only pulled off one shot before wanting to go look at the target.
We talked and they finally understood why a hunter is only interested in one cold bore shot vs the shooting for groups.

 

[swampratt]

Trimming .020" short to me is a non issue. I have got factory cases that were much shorter and factory Quality control slips many times .
I do not feel my post was bad advice. i wrote.
After you reload for some time you will discover what makes the most differences for you and your rifles.

And after you check thousands of cases for dimensions you will find those odd ball out of spec factory cases.
Just saying if you find some that are short do not toss them thinking they are unsafe.
How short do you think some of those wildcats were .. How about before fire forming a wildcat?

And that goes right back to : After you reload for some time.
We were all newbies once.
I did not even have a scale I did not measure case length.
I used the old Lee Classic Loader... Wack-A-Mole and it was 30-30.
Seated to the crimp groove filled case with a scooper.

Later I got a press and all the bells and whistles. And the ammo it made for 30-30 was not any more accurate.

I am not the only one in the world that started loading that way.. Just saying.

If you find short cases and it bothers you that is good. Set the cases aside and a year from now you will probably use them.

 

[beastep]

If you tell us what you are planning on doing with the 243 we may be able to help guide you to what bullets and powder to start with. Ill say that Varget is one of the most versatile powders out there and works will several 243 weight bullets. H4350 and IMR4350 are both very popular but be warned, they are not the same powder nor have the same burn rate and use different load data. It may be best to stay away from a 4350 powder while you are getting into it because of the chance of picking up the wrong one or looking at the wrong data.

 

[Pokinfun]

I think the point was the OP is a new reloader. What advice should one give to a guy just starting out, which is stay to the reloading manual's specifications.
After we reload for a few years all of us learn different tricks, but at the beginning safety is paramount. As far as trimming .020 less than the manual states, it would only be .010 shorter than SAAMI specs. If the OP was an experienced reloader and wanted to discuss accuracy and trimming brass, then discussing SAAMI specs vs chamber size would be fine.

Trimming .020" short to me is a non issue. I have got factory cases that were much shorter and factory Quality control slips many times .
I do not feel my post was bad advice. i wrote.
After you reload for some time you will discover what makes the most differences for you and your rifles.

And after you check thousands of cases for dimensions you will find those odd ball out of spec factory cases.
Just saying if you find some that are short do not toss them thinking they are unsafe.
How short do you think some of those wildcats were .. How about before fire forming a wildcat?

And that goes right back to : After you reload for some time.
We were all newbies once.
I did not even have a scale I did not measure case length.
I used the old Lee Classic Loader... Wack-A-Mole and it was 30-30.
Seated to the crimp groove filled case with a scooper.

Later I got a press and all the bells and whistles. And the ammo it made for 30-30 was not any more accurate.

I am not the only one in the world that started loading that way.. Just saying.

If you find short cases and it bothers you that is good. Set the cases aside and a year from now you will probably use them.

 

[Pokinfun]

http://saami.org/specifications_and...ns/download/Z299-4_ANSI-SAAMI_CFR.pdf#page=71

go to page 71
http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm

 

[magna19]

I think the point was the OP is a new reloader. What advice should one give to a guy just starting out, which is stay to the reloading manual's specifications.
After we reload for a few years all of us learn different tricks, but at the beginning safety is paramount. As far as trimming .020 less than the manual states, it would only be .010 shorter than SAAMI specs. If the OP was an experienced reloader and wanted to discuss accuracy and trimming brass, then discussing SAAMI specs vs chamber size would be fine.

That is why I posted bad advice recommending any new reloader with deviating from any SAAMI specs or load data. SAFETY IS FIRST. Even though some cases may be safely reloaded and fired with .020 shorter than SAAMI isn't the way to start out reloading. Until you get some personal experience reloading DO NOT VARY FROM THE BOOK.

 

[kwaynem]

I plan on using the book with Hornady interlock 100 grain and staying below max load

 

[magna19]

That bullet will be a good one to try.